Bastilla (Moroccan Pigeon & Almond Pie)

About This Recipe

Bastilla is the dish that most dramatically demonstrates the sophistication of Moroccan cuisine. A layered pie of spiced pigeon (or chicken), herbed eggs, toasted almonds and cinnamon sugar, all wrapped in gossamer-thin warka (or filo) pastry and dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon — it is sweet, savoury, crunchy and yielding all at once. The combination of sweet-savoury in an elegant pastry shell is a hallmark of Moroccan-Andalusian cooking. Bastilla is served at Moroccan wedding banquets, during Ramadan and at formal dinners.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gchicken thighs(bone-in (pigeon is traditional))
• 2 largeonions(finely diced)
• ½ tspsaffron(dissolved in warm water)
• 1 tspground ginger
• 1 tspcinnamon(plus extra for topping)
• ½ tspground cumin
• 50 gfresh coriander(chopped)
• 50 gflat-leaf parsley(chopped)
• 6eggs
• 200 gblanched almonds(fried in butter until golden, then chopped)
• 4 tbspicing sugar(for almonds and topping)
• 10–12filo pastry sheets
• 100 gbutter(melted)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook chicken

   Cook chicken with onions, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, herbs and 300ml water. Simmer covered 45 minutes until very tender. Remove chicken, shred the meat. Discard bones and skin. Reduce the cooking liquid by half.

2. 2

   Make egg layer

   Beat eggs into the reduced liquid over medium heat, stirring constantly, to make a thick scrambled egg mixture. Season well. Cool.

3. 3

   Season almonds

   Mix fried almonds with 2 tbsp icing sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon.

4. 4

   Build pie

   Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter a 30cm round baking tin. Layer 5 sheets of filo (brushing each with butter) overlapping and overhanging the tin. Layer: egg mixture, then shredded chicken, then almond mixture. Fold overhanging filo over the top. Layer remaining filo sheets brushed with butter over the top, tucking the edges under.

   Keep unused filo covered with a damp cloth — it dries out within seconds.

5. 5

   Bake and present

   Brush top generously with butter. Bake 30–35 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Dust heavily with icing sugar and a cinnamon pattern. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  A modern version uses prawns, fish and vermicelli noodles instead of chicken and eggs.

• •

  Use slow-cooked lamb shoulder instead of chicken for a richer, earthier Lamb Bastilla.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten straight from the oven. Can be assembled and refrigerated unbaked up to 1 day before.

Frequently Asked Questions